This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 1998-48265, filed on Nov. 11, 1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a flat panel display device, and more particularly, to a flat panel display device mounting structure on a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flat panel display devices include liquid crystal display (LCD) devices which are used widely, plasma display panels (PDP), and field emission displays (FED) which have been studied recently and may be applied to computers in the near future.
For convenience of explanation, the present invention will be discussed with respect to the LCD as an example of a flat screen type display device and a portable computer mounted with the LCD.
Referring to FIG. 1, a general portable computer such as a laptop or notebook computer typically includes a body 100, a flat panel display device assembly 110 coupled to the body 100 via a hinge mechanism 124. The flat panel display device assembly 110 has a flat panel display module 111 and a display case 122 supporting the module 111. The body 100 has an input device 102 such as a keyboard. As a flat panel display module 111, the LCD is widely used in portable computers and flat screen monitors.
Referring to FIG. 2 which shows a conventional assembly structure of the LCD device applied to a conventional portable computer, the display case 122 has a rear case 123 and a front case or frame 121 for mounting the LCD module 130. The rear case 123 has an outer surface and an inner surface and connecting ribs 123a formed at the corners.
The LCD module 130 has an LCD panel 132, a back light device 134 fixed to the back of the LCD panel 132, and a metal sash or supporting frame 136 for assembling the panel 132 and the back light device 134 along the edge.
At the comers of the metal sash 136, corresponding to the positions of the ribs 123a of the rear case 123, a plurality of protrusions 136a having holes are formed.
For mounting the LCD module 130 to the case 122, the LCD module 130 is placed on the rear case 123 and the holes of the metal sash 136 and the ribs 123a are fastened together preferably by screws 138. The front case 121 is coupled to the rear case 123.
Hereinafter, the way in which the LCD module is mounted to the case from the front toward the rear direction is defined as the front mounting method, and the assembled structure of the LCD module and the case made through the front mounting method is defined as the front mounting structure.
In the front mounting structure of the LCD module 130, since the protrusions 136a require additional space corresponding to the protruded width xe2x80x9cdxe2x80x9d, the ratio of the display area of the LCD module 130 to the fixed size of the case 122 is reduced.
The front mounting structure may also include an additional feature to further support the LCD panel, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.
Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, a conventional LCD device assembly 110 includes an LCD panel 112, a back light device (not shown) for the LCD panel 112, and a display case 122 supporting an LCD module 111. The LCD panel 112 and the back light device are assembled by a metal sash 114 along the edges together with a plastic mold frame (not shown) supporting the back light device.
The display case 122 is coupled to a body 120 via a hinge mechanism 124, which may from the body 120. The display case 122 and the hinge mechanism 124 allow the LCD device assembly 110 to pivotally move with respect to the body 120.
Two opposite sides of the metal sash 114 include flanges 114a for assembling the LCD module 111 to the display case 122, and flanges 114b for assembling the LCD module 111 to the hinge frame or hinge arm 126. Hereinafter, the former is referred as a fixing flange and the latter is referred as a mounting flange in this specification for distinction purposes. As shown in FIG. 3B, the fixing flanges 114a have a protruding width d2 and the mounting flanges 114b have a protruding width d1. A screw hole is formed in each of the flanges 114a and 114b. On the inner or bottom interior surface of the display case 122, ribs 122a are formed corresponding to the holes of the fixing flange 114a. 
To mount the LCD module 111, the hinge frame 126 and the mounting flanges 114b of the metal sash 114 are screwed together, and the fixing flanges 114a of the metal sash 114 and the ribs 122a are screwed together by bolts 128.
In the mounting structure shown in FIG. 3B, the metal sash or support frame 114 requires side spaces for the flanges 114a and 114b. Therefore, the side space D (d1+d2) results in a reduction of the ratio of the display area of the LCD panel 112 relative to the display case 122. Moreover, as the display panel size increases, the display case 122 becomes undesirably large, especially for a portable computer such as a laptop computer.
To solve the above problem, an assembling structure has been suggested, as shown in FIG. 4, which is a partial perspective view. The hinge arm or frame 126, the case 122 and the side wall portion of the display module 110 are screwed together by bolts 128. However, although the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is a good solution, there may be some instances where it is desired to attach the hinge arm, the case and the side wall portion of the display module without using a screw hole in the side wall portion of the display module or to attach hinge arm with the case (FIG. 3A).
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a portable computer that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to minimize the non-display area of the LCD device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer having a flat panel display device with a maximum display area and a minimal display case size.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a firm mounting structure for a flat panel display device on a computer.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these and other advantages and the in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the present invention provides, in one aspect, a computer including: a system body having an input device; a display module having a display surface and a rear surface; a display case having a side wall surface; and a hinge pivotally coupling the body to the display module, the hinge including a hinge frame having first and second surfaces, the first surface coupled with the rear surface of the display module, the second surface coupled with the side wall surface of the display case.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a portable computer including: a system body; a display module having a display surface and a side wall surface; a display case having an inner surface; and a hinge pivotally coupling the body to the display case, the hinge including a hinge frame having first and second surfaces, the first surface coupled with the inner surface of the display case, the second surface coupled with the side wall surface of the display module.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a computer including: a system body; a display module having a display surface; a display case having side walls, the display module secured between the side walls of the display case; and a hinge pivotally coupling the body to the display case, the hinge including a hinge frame coupled to the inner surface of the display case.
The present invention according to a first embodiment provides a method for mounting a display module in a portable computer including a system body, a display case having a side wall surface, a hinge having a hinge frame having first and second surfaces, the first surface being substantially parallel to a rear surface of the display module, the second surface being substantially parallel to the side wall surface of the display case, the hinge pivotally coupling the system body to the display case, the method comprising: arranging the hinge frame so that the first surface thereof is positioned between the display case and the rear surface of the display module, and so that the second surface thereof is positioned between the display module and the side wall surface of the display case; fastening the first surface of the hinge frame to the rear surface of the display module; and fastening the second surface of the hinge frame to the side wall surface of the display case.
The present invention according to a second embodiment provides a method for mounting a display module having a side wall surface in a portable computer including a system body, a display case having inner and side wall surfaces, a hinge having a hinge frame having first and second surfaces, the first surface being substantially parallel to a rear surface of the display module, the second surface being substantially parallel to the side wall surface of the display case, the hinge pivotally coupling the system body to the display case, the method comprising: arranging the hinge frame so that the first surface thereof is positioned between the display case and the rear surface of the display module, and so that the second surface thereof is positioned between the display module and the side wall surface of the display case; fastening the first surface of the hinge frame to the inner surface of the display case; and fastening the second surface of the hinge frame to the side wall surface of the display module.
The present invention according to a second embodiment also provides a method for mounting a display module having a side wall surface in a portable computer including a system body, a display case having an inner and two side wall surfaces, a hinge having a hinge frame, the hinge pivotally coupling the system body to the display case, the method comprising: arranging the hinge frame so that a surface thereof is positioned between the inner surface of the display case and the rear surface of the display module; fastening the surface of the hinge frame to the inner surface of the display case; and securing the display module between the side walls of the display case.
Preferably, the display module is a liquid crystal display device (LCD) module.
Preferably, the first and second surfaces of the hinge frame are substantially perpendicular to each other.
Preferably, the first surface of the hinge frame has at least one fixing protrusion protruded toward the rear surface of the display module, and the rear surface of the display module has at least one fixing hole corresponding to the fixing protrusion of the first surface.
Preferably, the fixing protrusion is a fastener.
Preferably, the second surface of the hinge frame is screw-coupled with the side wall surface of the display case.
Preferably, the hinge frame further has a third surface for supporting an edge of the display surface of the display module, and the third surface is substantially perpendicular to the second surface.
Preferably, the fixing protrusion is a fastener.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.